Albany County reports 89 total deaths in January
ALBANY, N.Y. » Albany County has ended January as the deadliest month since the start of the pandemic.
On Sunday, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy announced three additional COVID-related deaths. They are one woman and two men who are all in their 70s. The death toll is now 315 since the outbreak began.
“On the last day of January, we are sadly reporting that another three people have died, which brings us to 89 Albany County residents who have lost their lives to the virus this month,” McCoy said. “January has been our deadliest time and until we stop the spread, more people get the vaccine and we develop a herd immunity, this doesn’t look like it is going to stop.”
“My condolences go out to all of the families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, and I ask everyone to follow the guidance to protect yourselves and others,” he added.
McCoy announced Sunday that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Albany County has now climbed to 18,338 to date, an increase of 157 new positive cases since Saturday.
The five-day average for new daily positives has increased to 184.8 from 183.4. Officials note that the overall case count will fluctuate as CommCare records are transferred in and out of the county.
The county executive reported that among the new cases of COVID-19, 45 had close contact with positive cases, 107 did not have a clear source of infection at this time, and five are healthcare workers or residents of congregate settings.
There are now 1,578 active cases in the county, up from 1,564 on Saturday. The number of people under mandatory quarantine decreased to 2,867 from 3,085. So far, 54,341 people have completed quarantine. Of those who completed quarantine, 16,760 of them had tested positive and recovered. That is an increase of 133 recoveries since Saturday.
There were 18 new hospitalizations overnight, and there are 142 county residents currently hospitalized from the virus. There are still 11 patients in ICU’s, unchanged since Saturday.
Residents who want to check their eligibility for the vaccine and sign up for a shot at a staterun facility should use the state’s website at the link here or call the state vaccine hotline at 1-833697-4829. For general information on the vaccine and eligibility, residents can also dial the United Way of the Greater Capital Region’s 2-1-1.
For all the latest data on COVID testing and results, you can refer to the Albany County COVID-19 Data Dashboard, as well as the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 Tracker.
For those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression during the ongoing pandemic, the Albany County Mental Health Support Line is available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (518) 269-6634.